Sports News

Hillsboro’s Burros were instructed all year they had to execute and outwork every opponent in every game.

“We’re an average team if we don’t,” explained coach Mark Rerick.

The game plan stressing a work ethic that proved unrivaled in its first 10 games, all won by the Burros, Hillsboro abandoned the winning formula Saturday at Napoleon in a 44-19 loss to the Imperials in the quarterfinal round of the state’s 9-man football playoffs.

The disappointing loss ended Hillsboro’s season at 10 wins and one loss. 

The undefeated Imperials, the state’s No. 1 team all season, host Dakota Prairie tomorrow (Saturday) in the semi-final round of the playoffs. Divide County and Mott-Regent play in the other semi-final game Saturday. The state champion will be decided in the Dakota Bowl at the FargoDome Nov. 9.

The loss Saturday at Napoleon marked the third straight year the Imperials have knocked Hillsboro out of the postseason.

In their biggest game of the year, the Burros played their poorest.

“We certainly picked the wrong time to lack execution,” acknowledged Rerick.

“We need to out-execute the other team,” continued Rerick. “We’ve preached that all year.

“We looked like a very average football team Saturday. We did not play like one of the best teams in the state.”

Rerick was willing to accept his share of the blame.

“I didn’t do a very good job of getting our guys mentally prepared for that big of a challenge.”

Still, he said, our boys put together an incredible season.

Running the table in Region 2 was no small accomplishment.

“This year was quite a remarkable feat,” said the HHS coach.

He credited his seniors — Jake Olsen, Anthony Von Ruden, Billy Otto and Brian Smelden — with completing very successful careers.

Behind the four senior starters and a cast of accomplished underclassmen, the Burros won back-to-back region titles.

The seniors, with their leadership, are leaving the team with a good sense of direction, said Rerick.

“They had every opportunity to back down from the challenge and be just average, but they didn’t; they far-exceeded everything that was expected of them.”

They have re-set the standard for what is Burro football, according to their coach. “This group will be very difficult to replace.”

Jake Olsen, 6 ft. 220 lb. lineman, has been a four-year starter for the Burros. Smelden was running out of the backfield until he broke his hand late in the year. Otto and Von Ruden also played on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

For the season, the Burros were 6-0 at home and 4-1 on the road.

Junior fullback Andrew Grothmann was the only runner to rush for more than 1,000 yards. The Burros’ punishing back had 1,264 yards on 140 attempts for a 9 yard average. He was the team’s leading scorer with 23 touchdowns.

Quarterback Aaron Meyer, Hillsboro’s option quarterback, finished with 906 yards on 167 carries. The junior averaged 90.6 yards a game and 5.4 yards a carry.

Smelden racked up 718 yards and Zach Grothmann had 547 yards for the year.

Meyer was 26 of 54 passing for four TDs and 348 yards. Jamie Horne and Olsen were the Burros’ leading receivers with nine and eight catches, respectively.

Matt Schmitt kicked 30 extra points for the Burros.

The point leaders on defense for Hillsboro were Andrew Grothmann, Zach Grothmann, Jake McLean and Anthony Von Ruden.

Hillsboro outscored its opponents 377-188, an average of 34 points a game for the Burros and 17 for the opposition.

The Burros racked up 175 first downs to 110 for the opposing teams.

The Burros amassed 3,991 yards on the ground in 2007. They averaged 363 yards a game

Opposing teams completed 82 of 168 passes for 889 yards. The Burros were 28 of 56 for 394 yards.

Hillsboro had the edge in total offense, 4,385 to 2,411.